[lbo-talk] Wallerstein & Nader etc.

Michael Dawson -PSU mdawson at pdx.edu
Fri Jan 30 11:01:30 PST 2004


IW is great, but I don't concede that voting is _always_ merely defensive. Nonetheless, it is always strategic. But that doesn't necessarily mean hold your nose and vote for Kerry.

It's defensible and possibly strategically wise, I think to strategize like this: Bush/Giuliani will trounce Kerry, who makes Gore look like FDR in terms of competitiveness with the GOP team. In 2000, Nader ran and created a leftward pull on the DP, which fed the early momentum of Dean, who proved to be not quite a worthy vessel. Nader, seeing that Bush/Guiliani are going to win in 2004, should run and clamor like hell to get into the debates. He should aim at generating further leftward pull on the DP, and talk incessantly about class and the undone DP project of registering and mobilizing the poor.

I'm not saying this is the conclusion I've reached, but it seems as tempting as watching a Kerry vote swirl down the crapper in November. Plus, after Kerry loses with no Nader presence, doesn't the DLC gain power again? -- "Kerry wasn't centrist enough."



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